Following the announcement that Season 4 of Bachelor in Paradise will resume filming after an investigation determined that no sexual misconduct occurred on set, CNNMoney has tracked down a BiP contestant contract that explains a lot, Refinery29 reports.
CNN consulted legal experts to decipher the exact meaning of the contract’s terms and came to the conclusion that once a contestant signs the agreement, he or she waives rights to “refute or take legal recourse” about whatever happens during the show. Even worse, signing the contract also destroys cast members’ rights over whatever is done in the footage’s editing. This explains some BiP moments where contestants’ interviews may not align with what happens in the moment—legally, producers can get away with putting a twist on things because the cast has agreed to it.
According to entertainment attorney Nicole Page in an interview with CNNMoney, the contract’s rules mean that producers “can basically take your image and do whatever [they] want with it and [they] own it and [contestants] have no recourse.” The agreement also states that cast members must not partake in “unlawful behavior or harassment.”
What’s even more disturbing is that these rules appear frequently in the world of reality TV. Given the recent BiP scandal between current contestants Corinne Olympios and DeMario Jackson, it’s interesting to note that the show’s contract also prevents producers taking responsibility if a cast member is injured, “even if that injury comes from unwanted sexual conduct.”
The legal consultants also determined that enforcing the law would trump the contract’s rules if a crime happened on set. As Olympios’ legal team is continuing its own investigation despite Warner Bros.’ ruling of no sexual misconduct, this little detail of the contract could come into play in future weeks. With this new perspective of what the BiP cast agreed to, Bachelor Nation will certainly keep a close eye on any related legal developments.